This paper deals with the relationship between the field of literature in Bourdieu’s sense of the word and the
activities of public libraries in Serbia, in historical perspective and contemporary moment. Studying the phenomenon
of literary work (without entering into the problem of validation and/or division between high and low, i.e. trivial
literature), and the development of the public libraries in Serbia, the authors try to show their close connection. It is
being observed through the structure of public library collections and the relations between different factors in the
literary field (writers, readers, publishers). The explanation of this deep connection could be found in the definition
of a public library and its functions as well as in the structure of its users. It is shown that promotional activities,
traditional events and publishing activity all have their basis in the field of literature.The educational structure of
employees and management in the public libraries is examined, and it also testifies to this strong connection.
While examining the abovementioned aspects of the relation between literature and public libraries, the authors
consulted selected references, web and social media pages of the public libraries, data from the Department for
Research and Development of the Library System – Parent Department of the National Library of Serbia, as well as
many colleagues from the public libraries and the field of literature. Dealing with the relationship between literature
and the public libraries in Serbia, in historical perspective and today, the authors did not intent to show that the
public libraries were one of the factors in the field of literature, understood in Bourdieu’s sense of the word, but this
conclusion arose from their research. In this context, the task of the public libraries should be to take advantage
of this status, not to deny it, because the opportunities it offers, especially in the aspects of presentation and
popularization, can provide the visibility of other activities of the libraries to the widest range of their present and
future users.